It’s been 3 weeks since Hannah began her 100 day challenge to run 5k and lose 1 1/2 stone so I thought it was a good time to catch up with her and see how she was finding it. In our first session I assessed her run fitness and technique, suggesting ways to adapt her style so that she is less likely to get injured and to help her run more powerfully.

I then sent her a personal weekly run programme to build up her running up to 5k over the next 100 days, an interval training programme that she does without me in the gym on the cross trainer or bike (to both burn the calories and build her cardio fitness to help with the running) and a simple stretching and strength and conditioning programme to strengthen key muscles and reduce her risk of injury from the running.

Me: So you’re 3 weeks into the programme, how are you getting on?

Hannah out on frosty long weekend run

Hannah: It was great to get the run programme and things to work on by myself between sessions. I found the first session in the programme hard but it made me push myself and having the structure has meant that I’m exercising for longer than I normally would, which feels really great. I felt really energised from all the exercise in the first week and my skin was looking so much better as well!

Annoyingly I got ill in the second week and couldn’t do my second long run, and that week was a real struggle. But by the end of the week I was really raring to get back to it. The long runs feel so good – I won’t lie, I feel crap at the time, but then I spend the rest of the day feeling really smug and pleased with myself.

And I’m pleasantly surprised by how I’m actually enjoying the intervals programme. It really makes me work harder, it’s not easy but it’s good to see what I can do when I push myself.

Me: You’ve tried getting to 5k before, what’s changed?

Hannah: I’m feeling much more motivated, I’m actually doing it and not fighting myself. Before I’d make excuses to myself and tell myself if I gave up I could just start again. Normally after three weeks the novelty had worn off whereas this time I’m really looking forwards to carrying on.

Me: And what’s made that difference?

Keep those feet going all the way to 5K Hannah!

Hannah: I think I’m more determined, this time I don’t want to start again. That’s why I decided to work with you and agreed to the challenge.

Working with you keeps it interesting, our sessions together are fun and I’m learning lots of different exercises and how to do them, which I then build into what I do during in the week by myself so I’m more able to keep myself fit as well.

It’s really different working with a trainer, having someone explain what’s right for me and how each part is helping me. Before I was doing stuff, but it was muddled with no real focus or impact. I’d try a few different things and then get bored. Now I have a plan and it’s already getting me results which definitely keeps me motivated!

And knowing that someone else has invested their time in me – as well as the commitment I made through deciding to work with a personal trainer – means I’m more likely to do the work outs.

Me: So on a scale of 1-10 how confident are you that you’ll complete the challenge (to run 5k and lose 1 1/1/2 stone?)